The United States welcomes Canada and the Netherlands’ decision to initiate legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice to hold Syria accountable for the reported torture of thousands of individuals at the hands of the Assad regime. For over twelve years, the Assad regime has been responsible for innumerable atrocities, including those involving killings, torture, enforced disappearance, the use of chemical weapons, and other inhumane acts.
Those abuses are well documented, and the Assad regime must be held accountable for them. Together, the United States and our international partners will continue to seek a durable political solution for the conflict in Syria that is grounded in justice and accountability.
###
Editor: The United States of America does not recognise the ICC and argues that the ICC infringes on U.S. sovereignty, limits its citizens' freedom of action in international relations, and exposes American soldiers and politicians to potentially politically motivated prosecutions by foreign bureaucrats.